General public
This page provides general information about your rights and responsibilities towards animals, including where to find more detailed guidance. Please note, A-LAW is not a law firm and cannot provide legal advice about specific cases.
Legal responsibilities towards animals in your care
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 places a duty of care on people in England and Wales to take reasonable steps to meet the welfare needs of their animals. In Scotland, the equivalent legislation is the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and in Northern Ireland it is the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011.
Each nation publishes welfare Codes of Practice for some species, which set out how to meet these animals’ welfare needs. Click the links below to find published animal welfare advice from each UK nation’s government:
The RSPCA publishes a useful guide about what to do in different circumstances where you might be concerned about an animal’s welfare in England and Wales.
Concerns about suspected cruelty or mistreatment of an animal
In England and Wales, the RSPCA investigates animal cruelty and neglect and also brings private prosecutions. In Scotland, the Scottish SPCA investigates animal welfare cases and reports potential offences to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal (COPFS), which will bring any criminal proceedings on behalf of the Crown. In Northern Ireland the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 is enforced by Department of Agriculture and Rural Development inspectors (farmed animals), Council inspectors (other animals, such as domestic pets and horses), and PSNI constables (wildlife crime and organised cruelty, such as dog fighting).
You can call the RSPCA’s cruelty line on 0300 123 8960. The Scottish SPCA’s number is 03000 999 999. Lines are often very busy, so please bear in mind that these organisations are charities and have limited resources. You may also visit the RSPCA’s website here, which contains useful information about reporting concerns.
If you require immediate assistance – for example, if you see animal cruelty in progress, or a dog who is suffering in a hot car – the best option will usually be to contact the police. In most areas of the UK, you can contact the local police by dialing 111 (or, in an emergency, 999). Although the RSPCA do investigate and prosecute cases of suspected animal abuse or neglect, the police also have a legal responsibility for investigating offences against animals and should not insist that you contact the RSPCA if you are concerned that a crime is being committed.
You can also provide information about suspected serious crimes anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Pet selling, breeding & boarding establishments, zoos and stray animals
Pet sellers, dog breeders, boarding establishments and zoos are all licensed and inspected by local authorities. If you have a complaint about such an establishment, it is appropriate to contact the environmental health or licensing department of the council for the relevant area (NB in England, these functions are currently performed by district, metropolitan and unitary authorities and not by County councils).
You can find the relevant local council here.
Local authorities are also responsible for dealing with stray dogs. They employ animal wardens who can intervene to ensure that animals are being cared for properly. They can also take action where pet animals are being used or allowed to cause a danger or a nuisance to other people or animals.
Wildlife Crime
The responsibility for enforcement of the laws protecting wildlife lies with the police in each UK nation. If you suspect wildlife crime you can report this either to your local police or to the RSPCA (if you’re in England and Wales), using the helpline numbers above. In London, you can report wildlife crime to the Metropolitan Police here.
There is very helpful information about the law protecting wildlife on the RSPCA website here. Where the issue relates to interference with certain wild birds, you can also contact the RSPB here.
Information about humane control of pigeons is available from the Pigeon Control Advisory Service (PiCAS), an online resource for issues relating to pigeon and other bird control. The information on the site is geared towards solving pigeon control problems by the use of humane and non-lethal control methods. Click here for more information.
Animal Laws outside of the UK
Where your concern relates to an animal welfare issue outside the UK, you may find it helpful to contact an animal welfare organisation in the relevant country. Cases of suspected cruelty may be addressed to the country’s embassy in the UK for forwarding to relevant local authorities.
Avoid contributing to global animal welfare problems, particularly the exploitation of wildlife. Wildlife crime is a major global problem and when travelling abroad it is important to be aware of restrictions on the importation of animals and animal products to avoid unwittingly breaking the law. Also, be aware of the impact that your actions may have on local wildlife, as behind many so-called tourist activities with animals, there lies a catalogue of animal suffering. You can discover more from Save the Asian Elephant (S.T.A.E).
The Born Free Foundation and Freedom for Animals both welcome information from the public about the animal welfare issues in zoos and mobile attractions where wild animals are kept in captivity, whether in the UK or elsewhere in the world.
Veterinary Standards
If you are concerned about poor standards of care received at a veterinary practice you should raise it with the veterinary practice directly. If you are unhappy with the response and there are professional conduct issues, you can bring these to the attention of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). This is the best way of trying to ensure that lessons are learnt for the benefit of animal welfare. There is also a vet mediation service which is free to members of the public with complaints about vet services: https://www.vetmediation.co.uk/.
If you are contemplating bringing a civil claim for negligence, it is important that legal advice is sought from a specialist in this area of law. Details may be obtained from the Law Society of England and Wales here and the Law Society of Scotland here.
Disclaimer
Whilst the information on this page has been carefully prepared, it does not constitute legal advice and should not be used or relied upon and you should not act, or refrain from acting, upon the information contained within this website.
A-LAW, its trustees, volunteers and agents do not accept or assume any responsibility or duty of care in respect of any use of or reliance upon this information. Accordingly A-LAW does not accept any liability for any loss arising from any action taken or not by any person in reliance on this information or any part of it.
